Ruthie’s Story

TRANSCRIPT:

The video opens up with black background and white text. “SEE THAT WOMAN OVER THERE.” An image of a slim white woman wearing a tank top sitting at what seems to be a bar counter appears in a circle. Her head and face isn’t visible. There is a glass with what seems to be beer on the counter. The screen becomes black again with white text “I’m going back…” A woman’s legs are shown walking towards us on concrete. The screen becomes black with white text “to court…” A woman’s legs are shown walking up concrete stairs. The screen becomes black with white text, “to see the rapist.” An image of the rapist appears. He is a white-appearing man with short dark hair and beard. The text, “to see the rapist again” is below the image. The screen becomes black with white text, “This time I’m going there for her, because she can’t…” Ruthie appears on screen. She is a white woman with short reddish/blonde hair and wears black square glasses and a black top with a zipper in front. She is signing with captions below. “When I see a woman with a black eye in public, I begin to have flashbacks of that horrifying night.” An image of a white house with cold snow and a tree in the background of the ugly white house appears in the middle of a black background. White text appears on the bottom, “I was kidnapped and trapped in his home…” An angry looking white man appears and then slaps a white woman. She looks at us covering her eye with her hand. It’s a close up shot so we only see both people’s eyes. The screen becomes black with white text, “He put his finger on my black eye and gently rubbed in circles and then he even kissed it…” Ruthie appears on screen. “I didn’t know if I wanted to live or die.” A close-up shot of a white woman in distress appears. She is signing “No! No! No!” A pencil drawing of a broken heart with a knife in the middle. The words “No No” is also on the heart with tear drops around it. Ruthie appears on screen. “Everytime I had to go to work in Hartford…” An image of a city with many tall buildings appears with black text, “Hartford, Connecticut.” Ruthie appears on screen. “I couldn’t escape the memory of what had happened. Hartford became my nightmare.” The screen becomes black with white text, “Remembering that night…” A small circle showing a picture of napkins with a person writing on it appears. The rest is black with white text, “Tony and I were writing on napkins back and forth… Tony: Do you sign? Ruthie: Yes of course! American Sign Language is my language. Tony: You have great smile… Ruthie appears on screen. “I feel as though Tony took advantage of the fact that I am Deaf.” A close up shot of a white woman screaming. Captions say, “Scream: No Sound.” Ruthie appears on screen. “I tried to scream help, but I knew no one would understand.” A close up shot of a white woman screaming. Captions say, “Scream: with sounds.) Her hand grabs her throat while she is screaming. It’s a longer shot with her screaming with her hand on her throat. Screaming until the screen fades – as if he is choking her to death. Ruthie appears on screen. Her head is down at first then she looks up. She nods and signs, “I am a survivor of this barbaric sexual assault. I trust, your honor, you will make the right decision in this case. So that in the future no more women will have to suffer cruelty at his hands.”

A newspaper article appears. The text says, “Man Sentenced In Rape. Eight Years In Prison For Attack On Deaf Woman. September 25, 2002 By DWIGHT F BLINT; Courant Staff Writer.

MIDDLETOWN- An East Hampton man will serve eight years in prison for sexually assaulting a deaf woman he had met at a Hartford bar. In addition to prison time, Anthony Garofalo, 28, of Old Middletown Avenue, was sentenced Monday to seven years of special parole and 10 years of probation for the assault that left the woman with a black eye and a bruised nose. The sentence came through a plea agreement. An circular image of a courtroom appears. White text on black background says, “I will be back in court again.” A square image of the rapist appears. White text on black background says, “back with him.” A circular black/white image of a smiling white woman appears. White text on black background says, “and the ghost of the woman, that unlike me, didn’t live to tell.” Below the picture, white text appears, “Jini Barnum, Dec 17, 1981 – Sept 9, 2012.” An image of a white woman with long hair (a younger Ruthie) holding a candle appears. White text on black background says, “But I will…” Black background with white text, “by Ruthie Jordan, Dedicated to Jini Barnum, Survivors, Deaf Women” White background with a black square showing roots growing and many circles in a tree shape. Text: This story was created in a workshop facilitated by Center for Digital Story Telling.”